The newest bad big-box project prepares to displace poor people on Slaughter Lane.

News StoryAugust 29, 2003, by Amy Smith

"...A proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter at I-35 and Slaughter Lane threatens to displace low-income residents of a tumbledown trailerpark, but a state law that took effect last year could buy them more time and trump the landowners' wishes to have them gone by Sept. 15...."

"...All throughout the South by Southwest Film Festival, we brought you daily posts of trailers to help you plan your day. Now, it's not every week we have 140 features in town to promote and fawn over, but a few exciting developments have hit the interwebs in the last few days that we thought might warrant a return to … the TrailerPark...."

Neighbors challenge the drugstore chain's plans for a store at Lamar and Bluebonnet Lane.

News StoryJuly 11, 2003, by Amy Smith

"...Toward that end, the Chicago-based chain, which last year grossed $28.7 billion, has a contract to buy a portion of property currently operating as a trailerpark. Fronting that property is the separately owned Harper Tract at 2403 S..."

"...Eateries along Barton Springs' restaurant row have new neighbors with the opening of Barton Springs Picnic trailerpark. The new park not only boasts eight of the most highly rated food vendors in Austin, but also paved parking, air-conditioned restrooms, picnic tables, and covered pavilions to make guests feel comfy during their visit...."

"...Other Longhorn food court tenants we spoke with had their relocation plans in the works. Rishi Dhir of Conscious Cravings is moving this particular truck to the Qwik Ice parking lot at 5715 Burnet Road while his original truck remains in the SouthAustinTrailerPark & Eatery (1311 S..."

"...This year, organizers wisely relocated the daytime festivities to the kinder, greener Butler Park and expanded the size of the tented seating areas. They’ve announced that more substantial food samples will be available in the Grand Tasting tent as well as in the new Chef’s Showcase and Fire Pit areas..."

"...Shuggie's is sharing the new, comfortable, and breezy SouthAustinTrailerPark & Eatery with Torchy's. The new compound has ample parking and covered picnic tables and a wonderful, laid-back ambience..."

"...Austin's trailer cuisine scene is constantly expanding – it seems there are hot, tasty, new mobile dining destinations to check out every time we leave the house. Mobile food vending makes sense when you figure the difference between borrowing $500,000 or more to open a new restaurant in a new or existing building and spending $10,000 for an hip Airstream trailer and a few thousand more for groceries, equipment, and rent on a commercial kitchen and a parking space..."

"...I mean, it's really bleeping hot! Fortunately there's plenty of frozen relief to be had in Austin. Whether it's Italian ice, sno-cones, or shaved ice, this town has it on street corners, in parking lots, and at the pools..."

"..."This will be the prototype for our new stores going forward and it's the Torchy's we want people to see when they visit Austin," Platt said. Based on the rendering from Jamie Chioco Designs, the new spot will have some eye-catching design elements and clever signage, as well as some off-street parking, which should make it a popular SoCo dining destination...."

"...Tompkins was there in the flesh and was surprisingly normal-looking, no ooze
or skunge seeping out of his orifices. He was signing copies of the latest
issue in his Trailer Trash comic book series, his first since 1992.
Trailer Trash, "The Trade Journal of the American TrailerPark
Foundation," is obviously well-loved..."

"...We could perhaps double the Cap Metro sales tax and improve the buses in West Austin to East Austin service levels, but it would be much better for bus riders to just double the service levels in East Austin (and North and SouthAustin, too).
We could also double the road budget, widen Manor Road, and upzone the properties alongside for condos and McMansions, which would presumably raise surrounding property values enough to pay for the increase in the road budget. That way the neighborhood would be helping to pay for its own destruction.
Any neighborhood that compares itself to Hyde Park or Tarrytown is being disingenuous at best – those aren't typical Austin neighborhoods.
The trailerpark planned for along 183 really needs to go where it's going – there isn't any place else that is both so isolated from surrounding residents and so close to a bus route..."

"...The Music & Entertainment Division knocked it out of the park this year by commissioning the Austin Music Census. The extensive report, drafted with information from thousands of musician/music industry responses, identified challenges facing Austin music, which inspired them to focus on industry development..."

"...Waterloo (600-A N. Lamar): The local Mecca of music retail offers acres of new and used CDs, vinyl, and rock & roll paraphernalia, as well as hosting a plethora of big-name festival acts in its parking lot during SXSW...."